Improvement in pruning-shears



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN M. HEATH, OF ALLEGAN, MICHIGAN.

IMPROVEMENT IN PRUNING-SHEARS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 130,495, dated August13, 1872.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN M. HEATH, of

use the same, I will now proceed to describe its construction andoperation, referring to the annexed drawing, in which- Figure l is aside view of my pruningtool and Fig. 2 is a View of the opposite sidethereof.

A represents the knife and B the guard, pivoted together, as shown, andprovided with handles D D. The knife A and guard B are so shaped thatthey let the limb rest on the ioint; with the knife drawing it cannotslide or roll and slit the bark; also it cuts much easier. The knife isshort, only long enough to pass through as large a limb as the tool isintended to cut, so that all are cut in the same place. The guard isjust long enough to pass the center of as large limb as the tool cancut, suflicient to hold and no longer, as any more is in the way whenputting it on the limb. There is a bevel on both sides of the knife A,so that in passing through the limb it does not incline either way butcuts straight through. At the end or pointof the knife A is a chisel, G,for cutting limbs for a forward cut, and a knife, E, on the oppositeedge of the knife A, for chopping ofi' limbs for a side cut. At the backof the guard there is also a knife, F, for chopping off limbs, for aside out also.

I am aware that pruning-shears have been used composed of the knife A,guard B, and handles D D, and some with the chisel C, but noneheretofore have had the knivesE and I*,

'which knives are of decided advantage, as

thereby the operator is enabled to chop off such limbs as it would beimpossible or un necessary to cut with the shears. Thus I combine, as itwere, two valuable and important tools in one instrument.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, anddesire to secure by Letters Patent, is-- 1. In combination with theknife A and guard B, the chisel O and knife E, substantially as shownand described and for the purposes herein set forth.

2. The combination of the knife A, guard B, handles D D, chisel G, andknives E F, all constructed and arranged as described, to operatesubstantially as and for the purposes herein set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto set my hand this4th day of April, 1871.

JOHN M. HEATH.

Witnesses:

H. D. WILSON, W. 0.W1LsoN.

